Sunday, March 18, 2007

HARARE — Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe accused officials in his ruling ZANU-PF party yesterday of plotting against him with the help of Western countries he says are sabotaging the country's economy.

The veteran leader — whose government this week caused international outrage after opposition leaders said they were tortured in police detention — said imperialists were taking advantage of the ZANU-PF succession to re-assert themselves.

"There has been an insidious dimension where ambitious leaders have been cutting deals with the British and Americans," Mr. Mugabe told a meeting of ZANU-PF's youth league in Harare....."The whole succession debate has given imperialism hope for re-entry. Since when have the British, the Americans been friends of ZANU-PF? Have we forgotten that imperialism can never mean well for our people?"

Mr. Mugabe's current six-year term ends in 2008, but the ruling party last December circulated a motion to hold presidential elections in 2010 when the parliamentary vote is due.

This was viewed as a move to extend Mr. Mugabe's rule but has drawn resistance from some senior members of ZANU-PF, while the opposition has said it would launch peaceful mass protests to block the move.....